Flexible metallic strap



5 March 25, 1930. FORSTNER 1,751,475

FLEXIBLE METALLIC STRAP Filed May'l, 1929 r 12a 1? m 14 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 25, 1930 star PATE- WILLIAM FORSTNER, OF IRVINGTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG'NOR TO FORSTNER CI-IAIN CORPORATION, OF IRVINGTON,NEW JERSEY FricE;

FLEXIBLE METALLIC STRAP Application filed May 1, 1929, Serial No. 359,573.

This invention relates to improvements in ornamental chains of a type used for brace lets, Watch fob supports, wrist watch bands and sundry other articles of personal wear and adornment where a thin, flexible, fine appearing linked structure is desirable.

One of the objects of this inventionis'to provide a chain having the foregoing characteristics and which includes beauty and strength in a high degree.

A further feature is in the provision of a flat ornamental chain composed of a single series of embossed rectangularplates produced from sheet metal by ordinary stamping operations and connected in pairs by series of narrow links overlying the depressed portions of the plate, producing the appearance of a chain having a series of links arranged in parallel rows, in which each alternate link is arranged in uniformly staggered relation.

Other objects will appear in the following detailed description of the structure, refer:

ence being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front face view of a portion of chain made in conformity with the'invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on line 33 of Figure 1. c

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the plate links in detail.

The main portion of the chain is composed of a plurality of substantially rectangular plate links, stamped or rolled from metal to produce a series of ribs 6 extending along the faces of the blanks, these ribs being gen{ erally elliptical in cross section, uniformly spaced apart in parallel to extend the full length of the blank and are equally raised on both faces of the blank, four being shown although obviously a greater or lesser number might be used.

Intermediate the ribs 6 are thin flat integral connections 7 appearing as channels on seated on the corresponding fiatsurfaces of the channel-like connections 7 V r l The links 10 are bent to present re-entrant loops 1111, disposed respectively in the perforations 8 of two adjacent plate elements, the loop 11 having a continuing element, 12 disposed in parallel to the element 10 on the underside of the connections 7, to terminate in an-inbent prong 18 disposed the perforation 8.

The other loop 11 has a similar but shorter I reentrantl turned member 14 to seat on the channel portions of the two contiguous plate links and terminates in a prong 15 entering the perforation 8 alongside the mating prong 13, thus linking the plate members securely but loosely together. I

It is'to be seen that the combined thickness of the elements 10, 7 and 12, or 10, 7 and Mare essentially equal to the thickness of the r1bs'6, so as to present a substantially level surface on both sides of the chain, which appears on its face as if composed of uniform links arranged 1n. alternate staggered rela- V tions, while on the under side the llhks intermediate the ribs appear to be of two dif ferent lengths, the shorter of which are the connecting elements.

. Due to 'thechoice of metal finish which can bejused the;links"may be of a. color-contrastin'gto theribs, or enamel may be em- 'Pl yedif desired.

The structure is obviously possessed of great strength, and by reason of the arrangement of the connecting elements, any desirable degree of flexibility may be obtained.

The foregoing disclosure is to be regarded as descriptive and illustrative only, and not as restrictive or limitative of the invention, of which obviously an embodiment may be constructed including many modifications without departing from the general scope herein indicated and denoted in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An ornamental chain composed of plates embossed to present a series of longitudinal ribs extending equally on both faces and having thin flat connections therebetween,said connections being perforated in their end portions, links disposed on said connections,

loops formed on said links to engage the perforations at one of the ends of said connections, re-entrantly turned elements extending fromsaid loops to seat on the opposite faces of said connections, and prongs on the extremities of said re-entrant elements to engage the perforations in the .opposite ends of said connections.

2. An ornamental chain composed of a plurality of duplicate plates channeled longitudinally to present a series of ribs uniform on both faces of the plates, said channels having perforations near their ends, links seated in the channels to pass through the perforations in contiguous links whereby they are held in endwise relation, and means on the terminals of said links to lockingly engage in other perforations in said channels.

3. An ornamental chain composed of plates embossed to present a series of longitudinal ribs of elliptical cross section having thin flat connections therebetween, said connections being perforated near their ends, links of semi-elliptical cross section having their flat surfaces seated on said connections and being bent to engage in the end perforations of each succeeding plate, the ends of said links being turned inwardly to engage in the perforations in the other ends of said plates. I i

4. An ornamental chain composed of plates embossed to present a series of equally spaced ribs of elliptical cross section integrally joined by thin flat members containing openings in their end portions, and links bent to engage in one of the end openingsin two adjacent plates toextend over said fiat memhers on both sides thereof, said links having terminals to enter the other of the end openings, said links being of a cross section corresponding to said ribs. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature. v

WILLIAM FORSTNER. 

